Days of Future and Past
by Zaxxon
Summary: X-Men Crossed with Babylon 5 fic... Old Version..
1. Chapter One

Days of Future and Past  
by Zaxxon  
Part 1  
  
[Babylon 5]  
  
It was a quiet day in Command and Control. // Too quiet, // thought   
Susan Ivanova, Babylon Five second-in-command. With a start, she realized   
that she did not like it. She tried looking around to see if she could   
'help' with some of the other people in C&C but could not find anyone who   
needed her 'help'. Everything for once was running smoothly. // The calm   
before the storm, // she thought.  
After five hours of the calm, Commander Ivanova was anything but.   
There was not a single problem with any of the incoming or outgoing ships   
that came to dock with the station. // When the storm hits, // she   
thought to herself, //it's going to be BIG.//  
"You can go, Commander," came a voice from behind and to the left of   
her. After calming her heart, Susan turned around to look at the speaker.   
It was Captain Sheridan, the station's commander. Seeing that Ivanova was   
not moving and appeared tensed he asked, "Anything wrong?"  
Ivanova simply blinked and started for a minute. After calming   
herself she said, "It's been quiet. Too quiet for the last five *hours*.   
Something going to happen. And it's going to be a big mess."  
"Commander," Sheridan said with a laugh, "I think your paranoid."  
Without thinking Ivanova said, "No, I'm Russia, there's a difference."  
"Not much," Sheridan said under his breath.  
"What?" Ivanova asked sharply.  
"Why don't you get something to eat and go to sleep," Sheridan   
suggested. "You look terrible." At seeing Ivanova hesitation he added,   
"that's an order, Commander."  
"Right," Ivanova said as she headed for the door out of C&C.   
Sheridan shook his head. "She must be very tired if she didn't argue   
with me." Sheridan turned to Lieutenant Corwin and asked, "Shift report?"  
Lieutenant Corwin said, "Everything's quiet like the Commander said.   
No incidents, no injuries, and no fighting. Only five ships docked and two   
departed."  
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Sheridan said. He moved to the central   
console in C&C that Ivanova had previously manned. To himself, he said, "I   
suppose we're due for some quiet." Even as he said it, he did not believe   
it.  
  
// Face it, John, // Sheridan thought, //you're bored. 'Life's a   
roller coaster. It has its ups and downs. And this is a down. Enjoy it   
will it lasts.//  
Beep. Sheridan looked towards Corwin to see what the alert was. "What   
is it Lieutenant?" he asked.  
"Unknown energy flare in Garden, Section 12," Lieutenant Corwin stated.  
"Garibaldi to C&C," Garibaldi's voice said over the comm, "I have a   
Security team and en route to Garden, Section 12. Request more information."  
"Sheridan here," he said, "energy type -- unknown. Affected area is   
spherical with a radius of 2 meters." Sheridan looked to Corwin for more   
information.  
Reading off his console, Corwin said, "No radiation. Area is clear of   
debris. No one was in the area before the flare. Scanners are damaged. No   
information from the time after the flare. Surrounding areas' integrity is   
uncompromised. No toxic gases reported by near by sensors."  
"Keep me informed, Garibaldi," Sheridan said seeing that Corwin did   
not have any more information. "C&C out."  
  
"Okay, here's how we're playing this," Garibaldi said to his team.   
"Henson and Thompson. Take cover-positions, you're backup." Both   
acknowledged him. "The rest with me, I got point. Zack take my right.   
Turner takes left. Let's go."  
The security team made its way into the Garden. They slowly checked   
for anything odd. As they moved towards the center Zack said, "Chief, I   
saw something to my left."  
"A flash of something, right?" Garibaldi asked him. He saw something   
too. "Like a flash of light reflecting from some type of metal?"  
"Maybe," Zack said. "You saw it too?"  
"Yeah," Garibaldi said, "There's some kind of lump over there. Let's   
move people." As Zack's speed increased Garibaldi said, "Slowly, Zack.   
Stay together."  
"Sorry, Chief."  
"Right." As the group got closer Garibaldi realized, the lump in the   
ground was a person. An unconscious man. Garibaldi's first concern was   
with the Station's security. // How did this man get here? // Garibaldi   
asked himself. His second concern was the unconscious man and how he   
related to his first concern. Into his link he said, "Garibaldi to MedLab.   
Found an apparently unconscious humanoid male in Garden, Section 12.   
Condition: unknown."  
"MedLab here. Medic team en route," came the reply.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
"What have we got, Doc? Chief?" Sheridan asked, once the command   
staff sat at the commerce table.   
Doctor Franklin answered first after looking at Garibaldi, "I have   
an unconscious human male, approximately sixty years of age, height of   
about six and a half feet and weight of approximately three hundred fifty   
pounds. Muscular build." At Sheridan's sour look he added, "I get a strange   
reading from John Doe's left side. Slight varies in density . . . "   
Franklin quickly added, "within the acceptable error margin. I mention it   
because just about everything else is normal. I can tell that he had some   
type of hit to the head which is the reason for him being conscious.   
Mister Garibaldi, you got more?"  
Garibaldi sighed and said, "Not much. No ID. I'm still searching the   
databases but so far zilch. I've tried fingerprints, DNA matching,   
physical description, nada. I've checked and double checked the customs   
records and he didn't enter the Station through them. In addition to the   
clothes he was wearing, we found a pack. The items in it are inert and   
harmless as far as we can tell but we can't identify them. Five items,   
different shapes, purpose unknown. The only thing we can identify, we   
think, is an energy rifle."  
"How did he get a PPG rifle on board," wondered Sheridan.  
"It's not a PPG rifle. Neither Alliance-issue nor renegade-made.   
We have no idea what powers it has. We can't even find a power source.   
Not even an inert possible source that we can identify. The backpack is   
made of a common syn-clothe you can find anywhere. The rifle, which is   
as long as my arm, and the items in the pack are made from some unknown   
quasi-metal."  
"Quasi-metal?" Ivanova asked. Untypically she had been quiet   
throughout the meeting until now. Sheridan was relieved that she finally   
joined in.  
"Well, that the best name for the stuff at the moment. It seems to   
have some of the properties of metal. It appears to be malleable and   
ductile like a normal metal but some how it absorbs most of the heat and   
light we direct at it unlike a metal that who conduct them." Garibaldi   
signed. "As for the energy flare, we can't even find any residue to   
examine. It's a complete mystery."  
"And I don't like mystery, Mr. Garibaldi. I want answers," Sheridan   
said. "Well, there's not much more so this meeting is closed."  
After Garibaldi and Sheridan left, Franklin turned to Ivanova and   
asked, "Are you okay? You seem 'out of it' today."  
Ivanova just looked at him. After hesitating for a moment she said,   
"I don't know. I can't shake the feeling some very bad is going to happen.   
I don't know what."  
"How are you sleeping?" Franklin asked with concern.  
"Terribly," Ivanova replied.  
"How much sleep have you got?"  
"Not much."  
"What about the whole week?"  
Ivanova paused and hesitantly said, "Not much for the entire week.   
With all that been happening . . . and the Nightmares . . . "  
"Nightmares?" wondered Franklin. "Do you want to talk about them?"  
"No!" Ivanova said venomously. Realized that Franklin was only trying   
to help. "Sorry . . . "  
"I understand. About you come around to MedLab after your shift and   
I'll give you an exam so see if there's anything physically wrong and, or   
if some sleeping pills will help."  
"Thanks. I'll come by."  
  
"Well, I can't find anything physically wrong with you except   
exhaustion and that can be corrected with some good night's sleep,"   
Franklin told Ivanova as she redressed after Franklin's exam. "Here's a   
prescription to help you sleep," Franklin began. Upon seeing Ivanova's   
face he added, "without dreams."  
"Okay Doc. . . . " Ivanova began.  
"Doctor Franklin! John Doe is coming too!" cried the nurse.  
"John Doe?" Ivanova asked.  
"We were talking about the strange visitor in the meeting . . . "   
Franklin began.  
"Doctor!" the nurse called interrupting him.  
"Right," Ivanova said.  
// She more 'out of it' than I thought, // Franklin said to himself.   
"I'm coming nurse." As he got close to the John Doe, Franklin notices that   
he was trying to sit up and said, "yeah, you should not be trying that.   
You'll only hurt yourself."  
Ivanova's curiosity had got the better part of her so she had   
followed Franklin over to the area to see who the John Doe was. Upon   
seeing John Doe's face she moved passed Franklin. Franklin tried to stop   
her but she had surprised Franklin both with the unexpected energy and   
happiness on her face. Ivanova practicably ran into the stranger, hugged   
him, and cried, "Nathan! Am I glad to see you!"  
  
[=== End of Part 1 ===] 


	2. Chapter Two

Days of Future and Past  
by Zaxxon  
Part 2  
  
[=== From Part 1 ===]  
  
Ivanova's curiosity had got the better part of her so she had   
followed Franklin over to the area to see who the John Doe was. Upon   
seeing John Doe's face she moved passed Franklin. Franklin tried to stop   
her but she had surprised Franklin both with the unexpected energy and   
happiness on her face. Ivanova practicably ran into the stranger, hugged   
him, and cried, "Nathan! Am I glad to see you!"  
  
[=== End of Part 1 ===]  
  
"How did you get here?" Ivanova asked joyfully.  
"I .... I don't know, Susan," Nathan answered.  
"We'll figure it out later," Susan said to dismiss the problem. It   
did not take along for her to realize that they had become the center of   
attention. Hesitantly, she asked, "how are you? Can you leave MedLab   
under your own power?"  
"Of course, I can," Nathan answered. Susan noticed that his left eye   
had glowed for a moment as he had risen off the examination table. Quickly   
looking around, she saw that no one else had see.  
"Now just a minute here!" Franklin began, "you are not leaving here   
until I'm sure you're healthy enough to do so."  
"Steven . . . " Susan began but Nathan cut her off with, "as you can   
see, Doctor Franklin, I'm fine."  
Looking up into Nathan's face Franklin saw the futile in trying to   
stop the person Ivanova called 'Nathan.' It was not the fact that   
Franklin made to look *up*. Passed a very muscular chest that showed that   
Nathan could probably press Franklin's weight easily. Nor was it the   
scars that Franklin saw on his body and face that were obviously could   
only come from a battle. It was the expression on Nathan's face itself,   
one he had seen a thousand time on his father, the General, something on   
Sheridan, and once on Sinclair. The one that said 'To Hell and High Water,   
I'll do what *must* be done.' Franklin could not help thinking, // what   
forces have forged this man. As the Dilgar War forged his father and the   
Earth-Minbari War forged Sheridan and Sinclair. //  
"Fine!" Franklin said disgusted. He knows he could not stop this   
man, especially with Ivanova here to help. It was obvious to both   
Franklin and the Staff take Commander Ivanova had sided with the stranger   
and not with them. Most of the staff in seeing Ivanova's face had gone   
back to their individual work leaving Doctor Franklin along. "If he   
faces on his face, don't come to me." Franklin then turned and left   
them alone.  
Susan tugged on Nathan's right arm and said, "You can stay with me   
in my quarters until either you leave or you decided to stay and get your   
own room." Nathan allowed Susan to lead him out of MedLab through the   
Zocalo to her quarters. Susan was ignoring the looks she was getting   
from the people they passed so she did not see Ambassador Kosh talking   
with Ambassador Delenn in the Green Sector.  
Delenn was listening to Kosh speak, when all of a sudden Kosh had   
stopped speaking in mid-sentence as he normally did when others came   
near. // At least, I think it's mid-sentence, // Delenn thought, // One   
must meditate on want a Vorlon says to understand fully. // She began to   
look around to see the person approach that caused Kosh to fall silent.   
A quick check showed no one. Puzzled she looked up at Kosh to ask what   
was the matter. She saw Commander Ivanova with a strange looking human   
male that she had not seen on the Station before. Yet, she noted that   
Ivanova and the stranger were very good friends. As the two passed them   
in their alcove, Delenn asked herself, // Did I see that Human's left   
eye glow for a moment? Is that normal for humans? //   
So lost in thought was she, she did not hear Kosh say, "Askani'son   
is here." She did hear Kosh say, "Good. Other time." She knows that she   
was being dismissed so she left. As she reviewed the conversation with   
Kosh in mediation and relieves Kosh had said something as Ivanova and   
the stranger passed. All she could match out was 'Askani' and her   
dismissal of 'Good. Other time.' She wondered what 'Askani' meant and   
what its significant it was, for all that a Vorlon said was important.   
Before she rose from her mediation, she said, "computer. Search all   
databases for the word, 'Askani.' No restrictions."  
The computer said, "Time for completion two days, nine hours, and   
twenty-five minutes. Continue with search or changer parameters?"   
"Continue search," Delenn said to the computer.  
  
"He's a friend, Michael. I vouch for him. Can I please have Nathan's   
stuff now?" Ivanova asked again.  
Garibaldi was nervous. Ivanova was being nice to him. // So hell   
has frozen over, // he thought. Up until now they had been arguing as the   
Chief of Security and a fellow Officer. Now Ivanova was being nice.   
// First comes the 'please' then comes the order, // Garibaldi thought.   
Other than the fact that Garibaldi and his team could not identify this   
Nathan's stuff, he had no real reason to withhold them. The fact that   
Ivanova was not telling him much about this mysterious man who literally   
drops out of nowhere except that his name is 'Nathan' and that he is a   
friend of hers. Garibaldi knew he was being stubborn but he enjoyed   
irritating Ivanova but he knew he was getting close to pushing it too   
far. "How do we know that he isn't a danger to the Station?"  
"Because the Station is still here, Michael," Ivanova said with a   
smile, "And he's a friend of mine. I trust him with my life."  
// What do I say to that, // Michael thought but said, "Fine.   
Here." Michael handed the stuff to her. The fact that the rifle was about   
the same size as her and yet she carried it with easy was about humorous.   
Handing a pad to her, Michael said, "sign here."  
So doing so Ivanova left Michael's office, he noted that on the   
rifle had some how powered up. // Where's it getting the power, // he   
thought, // and what did Susan do to get it powered up? //  
  
"I got your stuff back," Susan said to Nathan.  
"Thanks," Nathan said, "set them over there." He waves towards the   
coach. "I bet Mister Garibaldi didn't like having to give them back, did   
he?"  
Susan laughed. "True. But he is a friend and I know that you're no   
danger to the Station."  
"What did I tell you about assumption, Susan?" Nathan asked lightly.  
"Assume, you make an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me,' " came the reply.   
"Still who could stop you?" she asked.  
"The Vorlon might," Nathan said seriously, "or someone else. I'm   
human, you know."  
"Right," Susan said sarcastically, "try remembering that the next   
time you go up against the Feroon. I'm not going to be there to carry you   
home." Nathan could barely repress a smile. Susan continued, "You are   
very heavy. If Kane was not there to help . . . "  
"I know," Nathan said, "I'll try to do better next time."  
"There better not be a 'next time,' " Susan said.  
"Right," Nathan said laughing.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
"Welcome to Babylon Five," the Custom guard said. He looked at the id   
and then at the person in front of him and said, "We ll, Mister 'En Sabah   
Nur,' are you here for business, travel, or pleasure?" And then he looked   
up and up until he found En Sabah Nur's face since he was seven feet tall   
and the guard was only five and half feet tall.  
En Sabah Nur replied, "A little of all three. Now, if there are no   
problems, I like to continue through." Without waiting for a reply he   
walked out of Customs.  
  
As he walked around Babylon 5 En Sabah Nur noticed the different   
aliens that populated the station. // Each must be judged, // he   
thought, // For only the Strong can survive. //  
  
[=== End of Part 2 ===] 


	3. Chapter Three

Days of Future and Past  
by Zaxxon  
Part 3  
  
[=== From Part 2 ===]  
  
As he walked around Babylon 5 En Sabah Nur noticed the different   
aliens that populated the station. // Each must be judged, // he   
thought, // For only the Strong can survive. //  
  
[=== End of Part 2 ===]  
  
For almost three days now, Delenn had been trying to get   
information on Commander Ivanova's new friend and the term 'Askani.'   
Despite the vast computer resources available to her, Babylon 5, the   
Rangers, and those still friendly with her on Minbar, the search had come   
up with nothing. The man and the word did not exist as far as Delenn's   
sources could find. Desperate for information, she went to Mister   
Garibaldi to see what he had found out.  
"What I've found out is . . . zilch . . . nada . . . nothing.   
Then again, Ivanova seems to know him and we're not exactly on   
EarthDome's Christmas list at the moment, not since we broke away from   
them," Garibaldi answered to her inquiry.  
What 'Christmas List' was, Delenn was not sure. She knew from talks   
with Ambassador Sinclair that Christmas was an important holy day to   
Sinclair and some of the other humans on Station, but not all the   
humans. Ivanova said she did not celebrate Christmas instead she   
observed 'Chanukah.' It was the very first the fact that Humans had   
different religions was driven home to her. Delenn knew she was letting   
her mind wander but she had nothing else to work with.   
It was easy to ask for the location of Commander Ivanova, so she   
headed to the Zocalo to find the Commander. Once in the Zocalo it was   
easy to spot the stranger due to his height and white hair. He stood a   
good head length taller than the others there. Delenn saw that Ivanova   
was with the stranger as she got closer. She saw that Ivanova and the   
stranger had sat. Delenn decided that the only way to get the information   
she wanted was to get it from the source. So she went to join the duo.  
  
After three days Ivanova noted that Garibaldi had stopped trying to   
pump her for information about Nathan and his stuff that came with him.   
In truth, Susan only had a little more information on the items in   
question. The little she knew was told in confidence, one that meant more   
to her than anything else in her live including Babylon 5 and those on it.   
Still despite, or possible because of, all that happened, things were   
getting back to normal.   
// Or whatever normal around here is, // thought Susan. As they   
habit, Susan and Nathan were having breakfast together in the Zocalo.   
Today they decided to try some Kaoti food. Susan ordered and paid for a   
weird vegetable // fruit in a grain-like wrapping. It was easy to hold,   
tasted delicious, but it smelled . . . Susan could not place the smell,   
the little there was. Its lack of familiar scent had made a lot of the   
humans on station avoid it. But Nathan had insisted and Susan never could   
say 'no' to him, especially in such simple matter as trying something she   
wanted to try anyway.  
They had sat since the tall Nathan was attracting attention and it   
had embarrassed him enough that Susan started to kid him about it. After   
the kidding, they relaxed into a comfortable silence. Susan noticed   
Nathan's head movement just before seeing Delenn approach their table.   
"Commander, may I join you?" Delenn asked.  
Susan replied, "Sure Ambassador." Nathan got up, pulled out the   
chair between himself and Susan, and offered it to Delenn. Once she   
accepted and sat, Nathan easily slid the chair back into its place at   
the table. Nathan then sat back into his chair with Susan giggling and   
she said, "Nathan, the Gentleman." Susan then processed to burst out   
laughing.  
Delenn was confused. // Obviously, the stranger's name is   
'Nathan' but I do not understand the 'Gentleman' part or the humor, //   
Delenn thought to herself. She noticed that Nathan's left eye was   
glowing slight, enough that she was not sure if she was truly seeing it.   
Delenn that Nathan casted a look at Susan that sobered her up.  
"Sorry, Delenn, old joke," Susan began, "It's considered a   
gentlemanly thing to help a Lady with her seat."  
"Oh," Delenn replied, // Another Earth custom I am not aware of. //   
"Yes," Nathan replied, "In the past, a Lady would wear a lot of   
heavy clothing, for either the sake of the Weather or Fashion. So it   
was considered good manners to help the Lady sit since the clothing   
would restrict a women's movement. And my parents raised to have good   
manners."  
The last statement caused Susan to chuckle again. Once again, she   
calmed down with Nathan looking at her. "Sorry," she said to no one   
in general. Braking off a piece of the food cake, Susan placed it into   
her mouth.  
"Oh," Delenn replied.  
Just then Garibaldi asked to join. Nathan simply nodded and pointed   
to the fourth and last chair at the table. Garibaldi turned the chair  
uaround, laid his elbows on the table, and asked, "What are we talking  
about?"  
Susan just laughed and said, "Manners."  
Garibaldi quickly removed his elbows on the table when Delenn started   
to recite for Garibaldi what Susan and Nathan had said about gentlemen   
and chairs. "Okay, sorry, I asked," Garibaldi replied. Turning to Nathan   
he said, "You know, you're a hard man to track down."  
"I am?" Nathan said innocently, "I guess then my credit line has not   
caught up to me yet."  
"Yeah, well, Earth Bank and other Alliance stuff have not been talking   
to us that much even back when the Station first came on-line. Now with   
the secession . . . " Garibaldi said. Garibaldi's commlink beeped. He said   
into it, "Garibaldi here."  
"Chief, we've got another one," the disembodied voice said from the  
commlink.  
"Great . . . ," Garibaldi said sarcastically. "Where," he continued,   
wishing he did not need to know.  
"Brown Six," was the reply.  
"Right, I'm on the way," Garibaldi said as he rose.  
Commander Ivanova corrected him, "*We*'re on the way."  
  
"What am I looking at," Ivanova asked Garibaldi as she pointed to   
the // blob // in the center of the room. The blob was a circle of mush   
that was all over the room.  
"The remains of some person. Who or what race I don't know until   
MedLab runs a DNA test," Garibaldi answered. "Somehow the poor shmock   
was reduced to the blob you see before you."  
"May I suggest that the victim was squashed with a circular object   
that had a radius of a meter. What person who could wield such an object   
with the force needed to crash a living person, I don't know," Nathan said.  
Garibaldi was so busy looking for clues that he forgot that both   
Nathan and Delenn had tagged along with him and Ivanova. "Oh and how do   
you come up with 'a circular object with a meter radius?'" Garibaldi asked   
heatedly.  
"Simple," Nathan said calmly, "See the blob (as you called it) is   
circular as well as the indention in the floor. The circular remains are   
what got suck between the object and the floor."   
"That possible," Garibaldi said to his number one suspect. The   
cartoon image of Duffy Duck being hit with a large mallet came unbinding   
to Garibaldi's mind. The cartoon scenario produced similar results   
although not the mess.  
Delenn gasped and said, "Mister Garibaldi, I think you will find the   
victim was Minbari."  
"How . . . Never-mind," Garibaldi said quickly.  
"Garibaldi, the Security officer that called you said 'We've got   
another one.' Who were the others?" Ivanova asked.  
"This is number three in the last two days," Garibaldi said with a   
sigh. After thinking a bit he said, "They started a little after he   
arrived." Garibaldi's finger pointed at Nathan.  
"Mister Garibaldi, I'll have you know that I can personally testify   
to Nathan's whereabout since he got on Babylon Five even when I was on   
duty. So unless you care to implicit me as well as Nathan, I suggest you   
look elsewhere for suspects," Commander Ivanova said in a tight voice.  
"Easy, Susan," Nathan said to calm Susan down, "The man's just doing   
his job. I'm the only abnormally that he knows of that occurred in the   
same time frame. It's only natural for him to think I might have some   
thing to do with this." Nathan waved his arms to encompass the room. "Of   
course, for that reason, it's logical to assume that it would be foolish   
for someone to attract the amount of attention I did and the do something   
unusual."  
"But what could have cause this?" Delenn asked.  
"A very large mallet," Garibaldi joked.  
"A portable gravity field," Ivanova suggested.  
"Telekinesis," Nathan softly.  
"What?" Garibaldi said, "Why didn't I think of that?"  
"Because, no human teek is that powerful. The most powerful   
telekinetic Psi Corps got, could only lift a unoccupied chair a few  
inches off the ground, that's about it. Besides, most telekinetics   
are locked up, since they're insane," Susan said.   
// Interesting, // Nathan thought.  
  
[=== End of Part 3 ===] 


	4. Chapter Four

Days of Future and Past  
by Zaxxon  
Part 4  
  
[=== From Part 3 ===]  
  
"But what could have cause this?" Delenn asked.  
"A very large mallet," Garibaldi joked.  
"A portable gravity field," Ivanova suggested.  
"Telekinesis," Nathan softly.  
"What?" Garibaldi said, "Why didn't I think of that?"  
"Because, no human teek is that powerful. The most powerful   
telekinetic Psi Corps got, could only lift a unoccupied chair a few  
inches off the ground, that's about it. Besides, most telekinetics   
are locked up, since they're insane," Susan said.   
// Interesting, // Nathan thought.  
  
[=== End of Part 3 ===]  
  
"So what you're telling me is that *five* aliens have been  
flatten into pancakes," Captain Sheridan asked.  
"Basically," Garibaldi answered.  
"Any suspects or an idea as to how this was done?" Sheridan  
replied.  
"No. My first suspect was Nathan but Commander Ivanova saids that  
they can account for each other," Garibaldi said.  
"Oh? Just how close is our Commander to this stranger?" Sheridan  
asked.  
"They're friends, at least, I doubt there's more but . . . "  
Garibaldi trailed off.  
"Any information on this Nathan?" Sheridan inquiried.  
"As a matter of fact, yes, I got some information out of  
EarthDome this morning," Garibaldi said. He looked around and  
continued, " I'd cashed in some favors, used some Rangers, and hacked   
a few systems. His full name is Nathan Dayspring, EarthForce Captain.   
He didn't re-enlist after the Dilgar War and been freelance ever since.   
The last entry in his record involved the Feroon in Jeriko Sector."  
"Jeriko Sector?" Sheridan asked, more to himself than to  
Garibaldi, "That sounds fimiliar. . . "  
"It might, if you knew that Susan's first posting was to Jeriko  
Sector," Garibaldi answered.  
Sheridan nodded and said, "Right. Susan was transfered from  
Jeriko Sector to Io. Didn't talk much about it."  
"Considering the amount of red tape I've had to go through that  
understandable," Garibaldi replied, "Susan's unit 'assisted' Captain  
Daysprings' merc squad in freeing the hostages that the Feroon took  
and 'helped' the Feroon out of Earth Alliance space. The Senate, for a   
reward, commissioned the mercs back into Earth Force, with Susan and  
someone named 'Elisabeth Towers' rounding out the new team. Susan  
remained with the newly formed One Five Special Operations team until  
some incident involving a PsiCop and other round with the Feroon."  
"What happen?" Sheridan asked.  
"I don't know," Garibaldi answered. He sighed and continued,  
"What I do know is that afterwards, Psi Corps wants to talk to Captain  
Dayspring, Ivanova was transfered to Io, and the Unit's members  
disappeared to various degrees."  
"So, let's make sure I understand. . . We have a former Earth  
Force Captain, Nathan Dayspring. . ." Sheridan began.  
"Actually, Dayspring's commission is still valid," Garibaldi  
interuptted, "Special Operations have used him a couple of times since  
he was in Jeriko Sector."  
"Fine. Captain Dayspring's wanted by Psi Corps for reasons  
unknown," Sheridan continued, "Which Susan may or may not know why and  
he's involved in covert operations. So he may or may not be here on  
official Earth Force business, except for his method of arrival. Last  
time I checked, matter displacement is outside of Alliance science. Hell,   
even the Minbari and the Vorlons don't seem to have that technology, if  
it's at all possible. So that's about it?"  
"Basically," Garibaldi said.  
"Right," Sheridan answered.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
En Sabah Nur sat down. The place was crowded with humans and  
aliens. En Sabah Nur's attention was on the aliens in the place. He  
looked at each individual and as a group. With but a single look, no  
one got in is way. // My work is never done, // he thought. He sighed  
and said, "What do you want Worm?"  
Morden was surprised. His associates had concealed him and  
themselves from the view of those around them, yet this *human* seemed  
to see them easily. Quickly recovering, he joked, "That's what I would  
like to know. What do *you* want?"  
"Ha ha," En Sabur Nur laughed. His laughter, like the man,  
seemed larger than life, yet had little humor in it. "Still up to  
those old tricks?" En Sabur Nur asked sarcastically. His eyes' seems  
pierce Morden's soul. En Sabur Nur turned slightly, looking directly  
at Morden's associate on his right, and said "Will you do it?"  
The associated said something to fast for Morden to understand  
yet he saw its head nod.  
En Sabah Nur handed a data crystal to Morden, who took it as he  
left En Sabah Nur to himself. Before Morden passed through the exit,  
En Sabah Nur heard, "Do we really *need* him?"  
He merely smiled and looked around, spotted a Centuri, and  
followed him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hello, Commander, Captain Dayspring," Garibaldi said to Ivanova  
and Nathan.  
"I was wondering how long it would take." Ivanova laughed.  
"Well, you know how our relationship with EarthDome is now,"  
Garibaldi said defensively.  
Ivanova just nodded and said, "Out of all the questions you  
asked, you never ask about Nathan himself, only about his gun. Wonder   
what that says about you..."  
"That he thinking about his job," Nathan Dayspring answered. "So  
I take it my credit line is active now?"  
"Huh? Oh, yes, it is," Garibaldi said while thinking that Ivanova  
was right. He didn't ask for Nathan's name or history, just about his  
stuff. "So what was 'Ensign' Ivanova like?"  
"Well...." Nathan began.  
"You better not," Ivanova laughed.  
Nathan looked at Ivanova, then at Garibaldi, and then back at  
Ivanova, seeming to weight the two and said, mimicking Ivanova, "I  
better not."  
"Better not what..." Captain Sheridan asked joining the  
conversion.  
"Tell how wet-behind-the-ear, young Ensign Susan Ivanova was  
straight out of the EarthForce Academy," Nathan said to Sheridan.  
"I don't believe we've met," Sheridan said.  
"Captain John Sheridan, Babylon Five's commander. And we met for  
about five seconds at the Mars riots. I had to leave early to deal  
with some aliens that took advantage of the riots to acquire some  
thing they shouldn't have," Nathan answered.  
"That was you?" Sheridan asked surprised.  
"Yep. So what can we do for you, Captain?" Nathan asked.  
"Well.... Have you figured out *how* you came to be here?"  
Sheridan asked.  
"No," Nathan answer sourly. "At this moment, I don't care. 'What  
is... is.' I'm more interesting in the murders that have been  
happening."  
"I'd suppose actually turning someone into a pancake is a type of  
murder," Sheridan said. "Nothing ever easy here."  
"Got that right," Ivanova said. "Well, I'm due in C'n'C soon.  
So... What?!?"  
"Huh?" Garibaldi and Sheridan both began.  
"That was... Morden," Ivanova said. "Seven o'clock."  
"Who?" Nathan asked.  
"How the hell did he get on board?" Sheridan asked angerly.  
"Don't know," Garibaldi answered. "But who ever did let him on  
is fired."  
"Nathan.... Walk with me to C'n'C, please?" Susan begged.  
"Okay," Nathan said only slight more confused than Sheridan and  
Garibaldi was.  
  
"So, who's Morden?" Nathan asked causally.  
"He is .... We're not sure, really, except he's working for the  
Enemy," Susan answered.  
"What enemy? Earth Alliance is not at war with anyone..." Nathan  
said.  
"You've heard of 'Nightwatch' or 'Home Guard?' The Shadows are  
behind them, Psi Corps, and the Chaos that surrounds us," Susan  
replied.  
"The Shadows?" Nathan asked.  
"That what the Minbari call them. They say that the Shadows are  
the oldest of the old races. They say that if we don't stop them then  
the Galaxy will suffer. Ten *thousand* years ago, the First Ones had a  
battle between the Vorlons and the Shadows. One *thousand* years ago,  
the Shadows returned and the Minbari, the Vorlons, and some of the  
others fought them again. To a standstill. The Shadows withdrew and  
now they're back," Susan answered.  
"Shadows...." Nathan said. "Interesting."  
  
[=== End of Part 4 ===] 


	5. Chapter Five

Days of Future and Past  
by Zaxxon  
Part 5  
  
[=== From Part 4 ===]  
  
"The Shadows?" Nathan asked.  
"That what the Minbari call them. They say that the Shadows are  
the oldest of the old races. They say that if we don't stop them then  
the Galaxy will suffer. Ten *thousand* years ago, the First Ones had a  
battle between the Vorlons and the Shadows. One *thousand* years ago,  
the Shadows returned and the Minbari, the Vorlons, and some of the  
others fought them again. To a standstill. The Shadows withdrew and  
now they're back," Susan answered.  
"Shadows...." Nathan said. "Interesting."  
  
[=== End of Part 4 ===]  
  
"What have you got, Garibaldi?" Captain Sheridan asked.  
"We've got him on one of the secur-cams," Michael Garibaldi  
answer. "The attacker seems to be a mutant."  
"A mutant? Why?" Nathan asked.  
"What other type of person do you know who can turn their hand  
into a mallet that's got a radius of a meter? The actual person had a  
cam-jammer since we couldn't get a good look," Garibaldi said.  
"So now what?" Nathan asked.  
"Normal operating procedure would be to call EarthDome and  
request an X.S.E. team out here to deal with the suspect, but since  
we're no longer with EarthDome..." Sheridan began.  
Garibaldi thought a moment and said, "I might have a solution,  
Captain."  
"What?" Sheridan asked.  
"First, I have to check some things, then..." Garibaldi replied.  
"Well, get to it," Sheridan said, "I've got a meeting to attend."  
After Sheridan left, Michael turned to Nathan, and said, "Could  
you come with me to my quarters. I need to get something."  
"Sure," Nathan said.   
  
"Nice place," Nathan said as he looked around Michael's outer room.   
He smiled at the Daffy Duck posters, models, and other related stuff.  
"There's a hot pot of water on the stove, you could make yourself  
some tea or coffee, if you want," Michael said from the inner room.  
"There's tea and coffee bags to the right of the stove."  
"Thanks," Nathan said as he took a tea bag and a cup of hot  
water. "So what's the plan?"  
"Simple," Michael said as he entered the outer room. Michael had  
changed out of his black independent-Babylon 5 uniform and into  
something else. The new uniform was a dark blue with a yellow line  
coming out of his left boot in the front and running all the way  
straight up into the yellow collar. The shoulders had yellow lining  
that Nathan noted held four small packets. Around Michael's waist was  
a yellow ulitility belt with various sized compartments in it. Where  
the belt and the yellow meet there was a circle patch of an 'X' in  
black on red background. It was obvious to anyone to saw that the  
uniform also doubled as body armor and that it was skin-tight. A handle   
of some type was clearly visible over his left shoulder and  
well as his station-PPG at left hip. Each of the outfit's pockets  
were filled. "I figure you and me could catch the murder."  
"Oh?" Nathan raised his eyebrow. "Since you're wearing a X.S.E.   
uniform and they're calibrated to be worn only by their owners, that  
makes you a mutant with X.S.E. training. So why do you need me?"  
"Noy too many people know that a X.S.E. uniform is genetically  
coded to the wear like the Station's commlinks. That and the fact that  
my mutant ability is enhanced sensory perception. I can smell a fellow  
mutant, if they're in the same room as me. So I know you're a mutant.  
That was one of the ways I found information on you. Now, I don't know  
if you're an alpha-class mutant or an beta-class mutant like me. But  
you're differently not a gamma-class since I can't sense them. Gammas  
are just latent mutants. So which are you?" Michael said as he check  
himself in the mirror.  
"Alpha-class. And it's metalkinetics," Nathan answered.  
"Control over metal? Not bad," Michael said.  
"It's what I was born with," Nathan said simply. "So how are   
a beta-class and an alpha-class, going to take an alpha-class mutant   
who's killing aliens?"  
"With these," Michael said. In his right hand was the rifle from  
his back and his left he had a silver box.  
Nathan pointed at the silver box and asked, "A mini-Cerebro?"  
"And I bet you know how to use it too," Michael suggested.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Omega Black Five to Babylon Five Control," came a voice over the  
comm system in Command and Control.  
"Wonderful! Just who we don't need," Commander Susan Ivanova said   
to no one. She activated the comm-system and said, "What are you doing  
here, Bester?"  
"Now, Commander, is that proper communication protocol?" Bester  
joked.  
"Fine," Ivanova said, "Babylon Five Control to Omega Black Five.  
State your purpose for being here.... Before I blow you up as a  
hostile."  
"And here I thought we are friends," Bester said in a mock-hurt  
tone.  
"Whatever," Ivanova replied. "Why are you here?"  
"Tell the Captain I have important information for him. Matters  
of life and death," Bester said.  
"Right," Ivanova said saracatistic.  
  
"That's what he said, 'Matters of life and death.' He didn't say  
whos. But if he came out here in person and he did sound serious...  
He's docking in Bay Eight and he'll arrive in the War room in about  
fifteen minutes. I've informed Delenn of Bester's arrival so three Minbari  
telepaths should be there in five minutes," Ivanova told Sheridan over  
his commlink.  
"Right," Sheridan replied into the commlink. To his guests he  
said, "We'll adjorn this meeting for now and continue at the same time  
tomorrow."  
After the diplomats left, the three Minbari telepaths arrived and  
prepared for Bester. Five minutes later after the Minbari telepaths  
were ready, Bester showed up and said, "One would think you didn't like  
me, Captain."  
"I don't. But we're on the same side," Sheridan replied. "Now,  
what's so important that you had to come out here unanounced and  
uninvited?"  
"My sources have discovered that the Shadows up to something,"  
Bester replied.  
"What?" Sheridan asked, now fully listening.  
"A rift in the space/time continuum was detected and ignored by   
EarthForce in the Sol System. At the present time, the rift is not   
near anything but the computers place the rift in orbital position for   
the Earth back in the 1990's. The theory is that is *might* be   
possible to enter this rift at this end and leave it into Earth's  
atmosphere. It's also believed that a mere shuttle could safely travel  
from somewhere in system, through the rift, and onto the 1990 Earth,"  
Bester said.  
"But why would ..." Sheridan asked.  
"I also know that the historical records on Doctor Charles  
Xavier, Scott Summers, Forge, and Jonathan Sinclair have been accessed  
with a very detailed accounts of those four activities between 1990 and   
2010," Bester said smugly.  
"The names sound familiar but why would..." Sheridan began.  
"What's become of our education system these days? Those four are  
concerned by most historians to be in the top twenty most influential  
people of the twenth century as well as in the top ten in the  
twenty-first century," Bester said. "Imganine what our *world* would  
be like without them?"  
"I can't," Sheridan said. "You look tired, why don't you go into  
the room next door and lie down for a minute or two."  
"I am tired," Bester said while yawning. "As soon as I received  
this information, I did rush it out here as fast as I could. I figure  
you got the resources to do something about it." Bester headed into  
the next room and laid down on the coach.  
Sheridan closed the door gently, turned, and said, "That was a  
very dangerous thing to do."  
"Necessary," came the reply. The Vorlon Ambassador Kosh came into  
the room.  
"Why?" Sheridan asked.  
"To save the Future, you must protect the Past," Kosh answered.  
"How? We don't have any time travelling capability. To move  
babylon Four we need Draal's help and that was an already open rift,"  
Sheridan began.  
Kosh interrupt him by saying, "Taken care of."  
"What?" Sheridan said to Kosh's retreating form. "Come back  
here!"  
Sheridan's commlink beeped. He tapped it and said, "Sheridan.  
Go."  
"You have got to see this, Captain," Ivanova's voice said  
excitedly.  
  
[=== End of Prt 5 ===] 


	6. Chapter Six

Days of Future and Past  
by Zaxxon  
Part 6  
  
[=== From Part 5 ===]  
  
Kosh interrupt him by saying, "Taken care of."  
"What?" Sheridan said to Kosh's retreating form. "Come back  
here!"  
Sheridan's commlink beeped. He tapped it and said, "Sheridan.  
Go."  
"You have got to see this, Captain," Ivanova's voice said  
excitedly.  
  
[=== End of Part 5 ===]  
  
"And if there's more than one murder?" Nathan asked Michael as  
they headed Downbelow.  
"I've got Zach standing by with a full squad in riot gear waiting   
for us," Michael answered.   
"Okay," Nathan said. "What does Cerebro say?"  
"It says that you're an alpha, I'm a beta, and there isn't any  
other mutant in scanning range. Of course, both a mini-Cerebro and  
Station internal scans interfere with one other and a mini-Cerebro's  
range is limited since it's a hand-held unit," Michael said. Seeing  
the Look on Nathan's face, he said, "It's against the Mutant Privacy  
Laws to do a Cerebro scans of the Station without a Court Order and   
the Babylon Court System is slow. Not to mention, it'll take twenty   
hours just to install a Cerebro unit into the internal scanners and I  
don't want to think about how much time it'll take to calibrate it to  
deal with all the aliens we have board."  
"So we'll be making on-foot scans of the *entire* Station?"  
Nathan asked.  
"You got a better idea?" Michael asked heatly. "Besides, we can  
rule out Green sector, MedLabs, and other high-traffic areas. All the  
crimes had occured in lite to no traffic areas most of which are  
Downbelow."  
Both men walked down the various halls causally. Both had their  
rifles in their hands at ready-position. Michael would do a sweep with  
Nathan covering him. After fifteen minutes of searching, Zach and five  
other Security officers in riot gear joined them.  
"Hey, Chief," Zach said, "I didn't know you were the X.S.E.."  
"It's a family tradition," Michael said off-handly. "Besides, it  
was before the Earth-Minbari War."  
"Why did you leave the X.S.E. I mean most 'Field Commanders' are  
career officers," Nathan asked out of curiosity.  
Pointing out his X.S.E. uniform he was wearing, Michael said, "You  
never leave the X.S.E.. It's.... It's a way of life, I guess. Didn't  
like being an officer. Besides Gropos do the most good in a War.  
Officers had to do a lot more paperwork than a mere Chief Warrant   
Officer does."  
"True," Nathan said dropping the subject.  
  
"What's that noise," Zach asked as they got closer to an  
intersection.  
"It means we found a mutant," Nathan and Michael said at the same  
time. Michael looked closer at the readings and said, "This way."  
"Everyone stand sharp," Nathan said.  
"Eaglestain and Thomson, either side of the hall. Be prepared to  
give us extraction fire. Zach, head in and left. Nathan, in and right.  
I got in and center. The rest of us in and hold. Everyone, be ready to  
switch to rapid-fire for suppression fire. Now on the count of three,"  
Michael said. "One. Two. Three. In."  
Nathan was the first to see into the interesection. A tall human   
male had a Quynkov in his hand. The Quynkov was a two and half feet   
tall slug. Which made the human look even taller than his seven feet   
height normally would have.  
"Drop the Quynkov," Michael said calmly.  
"Guests," the man said. "Now we'll see who's fit."  
Nathan's eyes widen and whispered, "Apocalypse."  
"I said, 'Drop him.' and I meant it," Michael said. "You have  
until the count of three. One."  
Garibaldi leveled his gun at the stranger and said, "Two."  
Garibaldi let the charge build up and turned to the group and  
said, "Three. Let him have it."  
Michael was the first to fire. His rifle was specifically  
designed to disrupt a mutant's nervious system causing  
unconsciousness. When the man simply shrugged the first level shoot,  
Michael increased the rifle's setting to level four and fired again.  
Michael's rifle was joined by the Security's PPG rifles and Nathan's  
rifle. The combined fire power caused the man to release the Quynkov  
and staggered back. The group increased their settings. The man was   
forced back further. Seeing that he was out-numbered and being pushed   
back, the man changes his right hand into a wedge, and struck side   
that lead to the outer hull. The man then process to work his way to   
work his way through to the outer hull.  
"Hull breach," Michael yelled to the group and over his commlink.  
"Well, that the last we'll see of him."  
"Afraid not, Michael," Nathan said with a shake of his head.  
"That was Apocalypse."  
Michael looked at Nathan for a moment letting what Nathan just  
said stick in and simply said, "Oh great..."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
"Jumpgate activating, Commander," Lieutenent Corwin said.  
"There's no scheduled ships at this time," Commander Ivanova said  
mostly to herself. "Now what?"  
"Identifying... " Corwin began. "It's.... It's a *Vorlon* battle  
cruiser."  
"Great," Ivanova said. "There's goes the neighborhood. Hey, is  
the cruiser *towing* something."  
"Checking," Corwin said. "Confirmed. The Vorlon battle cruiser  
*is* towing something. Object is composed of some unknown composite  
alloy. Size is a mile radius with a height of quarter mile. I can't  
tell the density without mass determination. What ever it is, it's  
shielded."  
"Hey, that looks familiar," Ivanova began. She switch feeds from  
the main system to a closer remote system and said, "It can't be!"  
"What, Commander?" Corwin asked confused.  
Ivanova tapped her console and said, "Good Afternoon, Professor."  
"Huh?" Corwin and the rest said.  
Over the speakers came, "Greetings, Ensign Susan Ivanova. It is  
good to talk to you again."  
"Same here, Professor," Ivanova said cheerfully. "And it's  
Commander now."  
"Congratulation, Commander," the voice Ivanova identified as  
'Professor' answered.  
Ivanova touched a different panel on her console and said, "C'n'C  
to Sheridan."  
Sheridan's voice said, "Sheridan. Go."  
"You have got to see this, Captain," Ivanova's voice said  
excitedly.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
"So that what we're facing people," Sheridan informed those at  
the meeting. Present were Sheridan, Commander Ivanova, Doctor  
Franklin, Chief Garibaldi, who was still in his X.S.E. uniform,   
Captain Nathan Dayspring, and PsiCop Bester. "Anything else to add?"  
"Yeah," Garibaldi said. "We found the mutant who was murdering  
those aliens but he escaped by bashing his way through the  
intersection out into space."  
"So, we don't have to worry about him then. After all, mutants  
are just humans with the 'x-factor.' So he's dead," Doctor Franklin  
said. Seeing both Dayspring and Garibaldi's troubled face, he added,  
"Right?"  
"No," Garibaldi said, "The mutant was an *high*-class mutant of  
considerable resources. He probably had a small ship near by."  
"But the murders are stopped. correct," Sheridan asked.  
"Yes," Garibaldi answered. "For now."  
"Okay..." Sheridan said. "As to the problem Bester has brought  
us.... Ivanova, Garibaldi, and Dayspring will have to take the  
Whitestar into the rift and stop whatever the Shadows have planned."  
"But, we don't need the Whitestar, Captain," Ivanova said.  
"Huh?" Sheridan, Garibaldi, and Franklin said. Nathan frowned.  
"We have Graymalkin," Ivanova said simply.  
"How?" Dayspring asked incredibly.  
"The Vorlons towed it here," Ivanova answered.  
"It is 'taken care of'," Sheridan said to himself. To the group,  
he said, "Fine. I take it, Commander, you are familiar with this  
'Graymalkin'?"  
"Yes," Ivanova said.  
"Great," Sheridan said. "Okay, you three get going."  
"Captain," Bester spoke up. Ivanova gave a start. It was the  
only sign that the others had forgotten he was still there. Bester  
continued, "Would not having a P12 telepath along, be helpful?"  
Ivanova shook her head, Garibaldi and Dayspring looked at the   
Captain and Franklin looked incredible at Bester. Sheridan looked at  
Bester, thinking. Finally, Sheridan said, "Yes, it would. You four  
should go. Take the shuttle in Bay 12."  
"Right," Ivanova said.  
Bester took a close look at Garibali's X.S.E. uniform and said  
smiling, "I knew, we make a great team."  
"Well, you're no 'Elizabeth Frost'," Garibaldi said.  
"I'm hurt," Bester said in a mock-hurt voice. In a playful voice,   
he said, "Besides, I'm better."  
Sheridan just shook is his an thought, // Who's Elizabeth   
Frost? //  
  
[=== End of Part 6 ===] 


	7. Chapter Seven

Days of Future and Past  
by Zaxxon  
Part 7  
  
NOTE/WARNING:  
  
It should be obvious from now on that I'm using an alternate  
X-Men Universe for this story. In fact, this X-Men Universe is a  
modified verse of Tracy Morris's X-Men/Forever Knight Universe began  
in "Burning Dreams" and continued in "Problems With Mutants."  
Permission has been asked and given from Tracy Morris for my use of   
her concept of Natalie "Inferno" Lambert. The concept of Nick "Crusader"  
Knight is mine. Nick Knight, Natalie Lambert, and company are the   
propety of TriStar. No copyright infrigment is meant. Just trying   
to tell a story that would not otherwise be told.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
[=== From Part 6 ===]  
  
Bester took a close look at Garibali's X.S.E. uniform and said  
smiling, "I knew, we make a great team."  
"Well, you're no 'Elizabeth Frost'," Garibaldi said.  
"I'm hurt," Bester said in a mock-hurt voice. In a playful voice,   
he said, "Besides, I'm better."  
Sheridan just shook is his an thought, // Who's Elizabeth   
Frost? //  
  
[=== End of Part 6 ===]  
  
There was a flash of light. It was strange in that one moment it  
was there, the next it was gone. Most of the populace on Earth knew  
nothing about it since it did not register on any instrument,  
earth-based or in space. Even the small object that appeared a little  
while after the flash went unnoticed. One person did take notice but  
her own reaction was to smile.  
The small object, when the sunlight finally touched it, became  
a shuttle. Inside the shuttle, its four passengers sat in their  
various places in comfort that seemed to contradict the sleek design of  
the shuttle. As the shuttle entered Earth's atmosphere, it looked more  
like one of the birds than the busky Earth Alliance atmospheric shuttle  
that four were used to. A silence had descended on the crew after  
leaving Graymalkin.  
"Are we in the correct time frame?" Ivanova asked.  
"Yes, each universes and timelines has a feel to them. The feeling I  
got from this one is the same as your universe only four hundred years  
less," Nathan replied.  
"So what's the plan?" Garibaldi asked.  
"Yeah. I mean we can't simply go up to each person and say, 'gee,  
the Shadows are going to kill you. We can protect you.' Why should they  
belive us?" Ivanova added.  
"I've thought about that," Nathan said. "What we need is some  
undisputable proof we're from their future. As well as a way to see  
Xavier."  
"Xavier!" Garibaldi said. "Until now it didn't seem real. To meet  
the First Ones... that wore the 'X'."  
"Why doesn't Xavier simply scan us?" Bester asked. "I mean,  
Xavier's the first publically acknowledged telepath and he's, at least,  
a P10, if the history books from this time can be trusted."  
Ivanova looked worried for a moment until Nathan answered Bester  
with, "For several reasons... First and for most, a psi-scan can only  
tell if a person thinks he or she is telling the truth. Second, there's  
a risk involved in doing a psi-scan. The scannie has to open his or her  
mind to do a scan, so the scannie and the scanner are open to a  
psi-attack then. And finally, do we want, even someone as responsible  
as Xavier, to know the future?"  
Both Garibaldi and Ivanova shook the heads. Bester was slower but  
he too agreed that they should keep as much of the future a secret.  
"Getting back to the subject on hand, so what's the plan?" Ivanova  
asked.  
"We're being scanned," Bester interrupted.  
"I detect no scan," Garibaldi said after checking his monitors.  
"No, you won't. It's a psi-scan," Bester said evenly.  
"But there is nothing in our line of sight," Ivanova put in.  
"True. A Psi Corp member can only use his or her psi-ability in a   
line of sight situtation, but we are dealing with the X-Men, so anything  
possible," Bester said with a touch of awe in his voice.  
"Then we better land then," Nathan said.  
  
After disembarking from the shuttle, the four made their way to  
the building they could see in the east.  
"Where are we?" Garibaldi asked. "This doesn't look like the  
Institute I rememeber from my X.S.E. training."  
"It's not," Bester said in a small voice. "We're at the Academy.  
Or what will become the Psi Corp Academy after its formed."  
"So this is what that's like?" Ivanova asked curiously.  
"What?" Bester asked absently. "No. Well sort of. Five years after  
the Psi Corp took it over, they walled it up. Weather control and the  
like. Still... it's home."  
As the group appoached the Academy, they noticed that there were  
people waiting for them. The group awaiting them consisted of three  
adults and four children. The children, teenagers actually, were of a  
varity of backgrounds. Three of the teenagers were girls. One was blonde  
and tanned as if she spent most of her time in the sun, another had   
black hair and a dark-colored skin, and the third girl was obviously of  
oriental descent. The two boys, one dark-colored and the other hispanic  
in origin, were dressed like the girls in a black and yellow uniform  
with an 'X' on them and all the teenagers looked ready for a fight,  
especially at the sight on Garibaldi and Nathan's guns. The adults  
looked less enthusiatic about the fight than their young companions,  
but stood ready none the less. In the middle of the adults, Banshee,   
Sean Cassidy, stood in his green and yellow 'uniform'. To his right was   
the White Queen, Emma Frost, wore a mini-skirt, tight fitting blouse,   
and knee-high boots, all in white, a conservative outfit for her.  
To Banshee's left, Nathan was surpised to find Jean Grey, Phoenix.  
Phoenix looked slightly out of place in her red body suit with an  
emblazed yellow phoenix on the front. Like Emma and unlike the other,  
Jean didn't have an 'X' on her outfit. Upon seeing Nathan, Banshee,  
White Queen, and the Generation X teenagers tensed up. Only Jean seem to  
relax. A silence fell over the group.  
The silence was broken after a few moments by Jean saying, "Nice to  
see you again, Cable."  
"Same here, Phoenix," Nathan answered.  
Both Garibaldi and Bester looked surprised and confused at Nathan's  
answering to 'Cable,' only Ivanova seemed to expect it. Ivanova instead  
was giving Phoenix the 'once over.'  
The teenagers had moved behind the adults after Jean's welcome and  
began to whisper behind the adults' back. They were silenced by a quick  
look from the White Queen.  
"What do you want?" the White Queen asked.  
Both Garibaldi and Ivanova looked sharply at her as if looking for  
something.  
"We need to see Professor Xavier," Bester answered her. He did not  
understand why the question prompted such interest from Garibaldi and  
Ivanova but he did trust Garibaldi's instincts.  
"An' why woul' ya nee to see the Professor?" Banshee asked.  
"Because his life is in danger," both Bester and Garibaldi  
stated.  
"And how do we you're not the danger?" the White Queen asked.  
"If they were the 'danger' as you put it," Phoenix said to the  
White Queen. "They would have made up a different story. Why lose the   
element of surprise?" Phoenix turned to Cable and said, "You can come  
to the mansion with me. There's room in the Blackbird."  
"Okay," Cable replied for the group. "Just let me send the  
shuttle back since we won't need it at the moment."  
"I'd parked the Blackbird over there," Phoenix said while  
pointing to the side of the Academy.  
  
Phoenix lead the group to the Blackbird. Banshee and the White  
Queen brought up the rear. Both Bester and Garibaldi were looking  
around with Bester pointing out what would be where in the Future.  
Ivanova was trying to covertly observe Phoenix as she was talking with  
Nathan.  
The White Queen whispered to Banshee, "Jean agreed to Cable and  
the others' story too fast, I'm going to go to keep an eye on them."  
"You think one of the strangers is a telepath powerful enough to  
influence *Phoenix*?" Banshee asked incredulously.  
The White Queen quickly looked at Phoenix and back as she said,  
"Phoenix is *NOT* a godess. She *IS* human. Anything is possible...  
And the one called 'Bester,' the one with the greek letter psi, has  
very strong mental shields. So he's, at least, a telepath and a strong  
one to boot. The same, or less, class as I am. And with Cable  
involved...."  
Banshee looked skeptical but said, "Fine. I'll take the children  
back to class."  
What was left unsaid was the uneasiness between Phoenix and the   
White Queen. Up until three years ago, Emma Frost, the White Queen of   
the Hellfire Club, was one of the X-Men's greatest enemies. It was  
common when the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club fought the X-Men  
that the White Queen and Phoenix would oppose one another since they  
were both telepaths. Only Phoenix always won the match despite new  
techniques that the White Queen had come up with specifically to  
combat her.   
Most of the X-Men had accepted Emma into their ranks, culminating  
in Xavier and Magnus deciding to make her co-teacher for the next   
generation of X-Men, Generation X, only Robert Drake, the Iceman, and   
Jean Grey, Phoenix, continued to mistrust her.  
After Phoenix powered up the Blackbird, she showed Garibaldi,  
Ivanova, and Bester the passenger seats along the left wall. She  
then showed Cable the co-pilot's seat on the right, taking the left,  
pilot's seat for herself. The White Qeen took the flight engineer's  
seat behind the pilot's seat.  
The lack of trust between Phoenix and the White Queen became  
obvious when the White Queen detected the high-speed, low-energy  
encrypted telepathic communication between Phoenix and someone else.  
Who the second half of the conversion was, Emma didn't know. It was  
not Bester since he was talking outloud with Garibaldi and Ivanova and  
did not posses the ability to talk outloud and telepathic at the same  
time. It was possible Jean was talking to Xavier but it should not  
have lasted this long. The only other person was Cable but most X-Men  
thought his x-factor was not psionic in nature like Jean's. No one  
was positive, since Cerebro can not seem to scan Cable. There seemed to  
be some kind of interference surrounding Cable. Emma could not think  
what Jean could possibly be telling Cable.  
## So, Bobby freezes the ice cream solid, ## Jean told Nathan   
telepathically.   
## And then.... ## Nathan asked back with a mental smile.  
  
[=== End of Part 7 ===] 


	8. Chapter Eight

Days of Future and Past  
by Zaxxon  
Part 8  
  
[=== From Part 7 ===]  
  
## So, Bobby freezes the ice cream solid, ## Jean told Nathan   
telepathically.   
## And then.... ## Nathan asked back with a mental smile.  
  
[=== End of Part 7 ===]  
  
The Xavier Mansion, located five kilometers from Salem Center,   
New York, was quiet. Jean expertly piloted the Blackbird into it's   
underground hangar and directed the group to the near by elevator.   
Ivanova was impressed by the advanced technology that the underground   
hangar and elevator showed. Both Garibaldi and Bester had identical   
awed faces.  
Once the eleveator door opened, Cable took the lead much to the  
White Queen's surprise. Emma noticed Jean's shrug and her willingness   
to follow him. Emma also noticed that Cable paused slightly as they   
passed the protrait of Nathan Summers, who died at the age of two   
years during one of Apocalypse's 'survival test.' Although severely   
injuried, Apocalypse's wounds were not fatal. Emma filed the fact that   
Cable rubbed his left arm absent-mindedly away.  
Nathan ushered the group into the study so he, himself, was the  
last in. Nathan was startled at sight of Charles Xavier and Erik   
"Magneto" Magnus together, sitting and talking like old friends.   
Nathan knew that the media-proclaimed 'Master of Magnetism' of this   
Universe was unlike his own but to actually see it....  
Charles noted the people as they enter the room. He had placed  
his rook in the desired spot. He was surprised to see the four  
strangers. Although the one called 'Cable' was not a stranger but more  
of a mysterious ally.  
"What have we here?" Erik asked innocently.  
Jean simply said, "Cable and his friends need to talk to Charles,  
so ..."  
"And your business, young man, is?" Charles asked.  
Cable smiled and said, "Young? Me? I haven't been 'young' in a  
long while. As to business, we're here to warn you."  
"Warning me?" Charles asked innocently.  
Erik quickly put in, "We don't take kindly to threats..."  
"No threat, Sir," Garibaldi quickly put in. "There are people  
after you, and several others, Sir."  
"And you are?" Erik asked softly.  
"Field Commander Michael Garibaldi, Sir, of the Fifty-Eighth  
Squadron of the X.S.E., Sir," Garibaldi answered proudly. Both Ivanova  
and Bester were looking at Garibaldi with their eyes wide open in  
shock. Ivanova saw that her expression matched Bester's and quickly  
took a neutral look.  
"'X.S.E.'? Like Bishop?" Charles asked curiously.  
"Yes, Sir," Garibaldi answered. "Captain Bishop is the role-model  
we all try to emulate, Sir."  
"Who are the 'others' you mentioned," Charles began.  
"Scott Summers, Forge, and Jonathan Sinclair, Professor Xavier,"  
Bester said in a bit of awe in his voice.  
"Scott and Forge are known to me," Charles said, "but Mister  
Sinclair is not."  
"Sinclair... Sinclair... Sounds familiar to me," Erik said. "I  
believe Bishop mentioned him once."  
"You know, now that you mention it I, too, remeber him saying  
something about him," Charles replied to Erik.  
"If everything was going the way it should, Bishop, in this time  
frame, would be the only one to hear about him," Cable said. "Jonathan  
Sinclair is currently just a six-year old boy but when he grows up,  
he'll be a major factor in the mutant/human relationship."  
"Oh," Charles raised an eyebrow. "I take it your from the future  
like Bishop was?"  
"Yes," Bester, Ivanova, and Garibaldi said simultaneously.  
Garibaldi added, "Only a few hundred years more."  
Both Charles and Erik noted that Cable didn't answer.  
"Can you prove it?" Erik asked.  
"Yes," Cable said.  
"How?" Charles wondered.  
"Simple, have Doctor McCoy, do a gentic scan on Bester and the   
Emma Frost," Cable replied.  
"Me?" Emma Frost, the White Queen asked. Bester was bewildered.  
"And what would he find?" Charles asked.  
"The proof that we're from the future," Cable said. "Since Bester  
is the White Queen's eleventh-time removed grandson."  
Now Garibaldi was looking at Bester with widen-eyes. His face had  
the look of a person was just had a revelation.  
"Since genetics don't lie. That would be concerte proof that  
you're telling us the truth," Charles began.  
"But the Beast and Blue Team are out on a mission and won't be  
back for a couple of days," Erik finished.  
"But that's too long," Ivanova said.  
Both Charles and Erik raised their eyebrows at that. Charles then  
said, "There is another who could preform the test..."  
Cable was confused ans asked, "Who?"  
"One of our 'second string' X-Men, as she likes to call them,  
Doctor Natalie Lambert," Charles answered.  
  
The name 'Natalie Lambert' was not familiar to Nathan but then, he  
had come across other difference between his native Timeline and  
others. Nathan knew that each Timeline differs from the others still  
Nathan did not like surprises. Another example of difference between  
the two timelines was that in his native Timeline, Magneto was the X-Men's   
greatest enemy. Magneto believed that mutants could only survive human  
bigoty by ruling over the non-mutants, the flatscans.  
Where Professor Xavier and his X-Men sought a peaceful coexistance   
between Humans and Mutants, Magneto and his followers sought to conquer   
and rule over the Humans. But here, in this Timeline, Charles and Erik   
remained friends where in Cable's Timeline Magneto's anger drove them   
apart long before the X-Men were formed. In this Timeline, Charles helped   
Erik overcome his anger thus preventing Magneto into become the very thing  
his anger was directed at. Erik helped Charles build a better tomorrow   
by forming the X-Men. A group of mutants who fought for mutant and human   
rights despite being in a world that feared them.  
After making a call, Charles asked, "Who's after us?"  
"They are called the Shadows," Ivanova began.  
"A very old race of aliens," Garibaldi added. "So old, they  
considered, if not the first race to exist in the Galaxy, then they're   
very close to it."  
"The Shi'ar call them the Qza," Cable put in.  
"The Qza are a myth," Charles said automatically. "A part of the   
Shi'ar's creation myth."  
"They're real, Professor Xavier," Ivonova said.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Westmore Research Institute, located outside of Toronto, Canada,  
was considered one of the leading scientific institute in the fields  
of genetics, medicine, and physics. Only the Xavier Institute and Muir  
Island Research Center could match it in the field of genetic  
research and only Reed Richards, Mister Fantastic of the Fantastic  
Four, and Stark Enterprises could match it in the field of theorical  
and applicational physics.  
At the moment though there was one person who would trade all the  
fame and forture of the Institute for an answer. That person was  
Doctor Natalie Lambert, Inferno, formerly of the X-Men and currently of  
Code Alpha, the Canada-based SHIELD paranormal response team that  
replaced 'Alpha Flight.'   
Originally, the Canadian Govornment formed 'Alpha Flight' to deal  
with the extra-ordinary events that happen in Canada that normal  
police efforts could not deal with. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts,   
restrictive regulations, and an internal betrayal, Alpha Flight was  
no longer able to fulfill its charter. After five years of failing  
to replace Alpha Flight, the Canadian Govornment appealed to the  
United Nations. The United Nations had SHIELD (Strategic Hazard  
Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate [of the United Nation  
Security Force]) create a team based in Canada to replace Alpha   
Flight. Of the original Alpha Flight only Vindicator and Guardian  
survived and are apart of Code Alpha.  
In addition to Vindicator and Guardian, Code Alpha consisted of   
the mercenary known as Deadpool, who's sentenced to do 'community   
work' for the Canadian Govornment, the mysterious Crusader, who some   
think is a SHIELD agent, and Inferno, formerly of the X-Men.  
  
Doctor Lambert was busy studing the 'Legacy' virus when the   
phone rang. Like most people, she answered the phone with "Hello?"  
"Hello, Natalie," the voice on the other side said. It took  
Natalie a moment to figure out who the voice could belonged to. The   
extra time was required because the owner of the voice was placed on  
the 'couldn't be' list but it was, in fact, the voice of Professor  
Charles Xavier. His voice brought back all the memories of being an  
X-Men. // Once an X-Men, always an X-Men, // Natalie thought.  
"What can I do for you, Professor?" Natalie asked. // Yes,  
Professor X is so important to me that I'd put just about anything on  
hold to help him, // came the thought.  
"I need you to come to the Mansion to help with a test that needs  
to be done," Xavier's voice said.  
"Okay..." Natalie answered. "Where's Hank?"  
"Henry's away at the moment and won't be back in time," Xavier  
said.  
// Translation: Blue Team is on a long distance mission, //  
Natalie thought, out loud she said, "I'll be there as soon as  
possible."  
"Good," Xavier replied.  
"You'll be where?" a voice behind her asked.  
Natalie turned quickly, easily moving into a ready stance she   
learned while being with the X-Men, and had her hands already ablazed,  
ready to throw a fireball at a moments notice. It was Natalie's mutant   
ability to mentally manipulate fire to various effects. When she saw   
who the speaker was, she said, "One of these days, Nick, you're going   
to get singed."  
Nick, better known as Nicholas Knight or Crusader of Code Alpha,   
merely laughed and said, "It'll be worth it, besides I heal very fast."  
Natalie shook her head and said, "You and Wolverine."  
"I keep hearing about this 'Wolverine,' when am I going to get  
more information on this /marvelous/ man of yours besides his codename?"   
Nick asked playfully. Nick knew that Natalie was tight lipped about her   
X-Men friends, especially about this mysterious 'Wolverine.' Still, he   
was curious so he asked again, "Going where?"  
Natalie sighed knowing that Nick wouldn't stop asking until she  
gave him an answer, so she said, "I'm going to help Xavier with an  
experiment..."  
"Fine," Nick said. "Let's go."  
"Huh?" Natalie asked.  
"You destroyed our second Quinjet last week and the Hudsons got  
the other, so that leaves the new 'ShadowHawk,' which you haven't been   
checked out yet but I have. Since Salem Center, New York, is over  
three hundred miles away, I doubt *you* could make it there under your  
own power. So let's go...." Nick replied.  
"Right," Natalie said resigned.  
  
"See," Nick said with a smile as he gently set the ShadowHawk  
into the underground hangar. "Nothing to it."  
Natalie thought, // Show off! //  
## I heard that, ## Nick telepathic replied with a laugh.  
Natalie hoped that Wolverine was with the Beast and Blue Team  
otherwise... Wolverine does *not* like vampires, not at all. Even  
though Nick was a 'partially-cured' vampire, he was still a vampire. Of  
course, how a vampire could be 'partially-cured' by Magic/Mysticism  
was beyond her since she liked to believe in things things she could see  
and touch, like aliens, the Shi'ar, living Islands and Planets,  
and other things that she encountered as an X-Man. It took a moment  
for her to realize that Nick did not know where to go. She smiled and  
said, "This way."  
  
[== End of Part 8 ===] 


End file.
